Pecorino and Bean Salad

January 17, 2009

This recipe is from Giada de Laurentis of the Food Network. It is super easy, beautiful, and really yummy. Another must try. Here's the link to the recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pecorino-and-bean-salad-recipe/index.html

This salad combines the creaminess of the cannelini beans, with the bright, fresh, crispiness of the shelled edamame. It is dressed with garlic and rosemary infused olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. Then you add cheese for a tangy finish. I couldn't find pecorino romano, so I used lemon-garlic feta, which was really tasty. I also used the cannelini beans I had in my freezer, rather than canned.

Giada says that this is a great dish to take to a potluck or on a picnic because it doesn't need to be refrigerated. I suppose that is more true of a semi-dry cheese like pecorino, though I would be more careful with the feta, I think.

I served this with leftover root veggies over brown and wild rice. (I scraped off the old pancake and just served the veggies that were underneath. I added a bit more salt and balsamic vinegar to wake up the flavors. The combination of the deep purple vegetables and the bright green salad was really beautiful.

Approximate cost
1 can cannelini beans - $1.00
2 cups edamame - $2.00
oil, garlic, rosemary - negligible
parsley - .20
feta, 4 oz. - $2.50 (I'm sure it would cost more if you used pecorino)
TOTAL cost - $5.70, serves 6 or more